Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1887-09-02

| ~ tAS OtASIs IneTe goes tue Olu ~ Po-
critic" 1t is not a very pleasant thing to
hear some one designated as hypocrite,
especially when you believe that the
term refers to yourself. But, paying no
attention to the remark, the Squire hur-
riedly passed to the platform, where,
after opening the meeting, he proposed
to deliver his address.
"The Chair begs leave to make Q few
remarks" he began, and then waited in
order that the words might have the de-
sired effect. He had learned the phrase
from newspaper report of meeting,
and was proud of it, so he stopped and
gravely eyed his listeners.
"The Chair would say" he went
on, when a tap on his shoulder interrupt
ted him, and, turning, he saw one of the
men he had noticed at the door.
''May l speak few words with your
alone, " he added, mysteriously. Won
dering what it was all about, the Squire
led the stranger into corner.
''Silas Harvey, believe, Director of
the so-called Silver Crescent Mining Co. ~
said the man. The Squire nodded.
II am detective from New York.
Here rs warrant for your arrest. Will
you come with me quietly and take the
nine o'clock train to the city, 1t will
save trouble" remarked the individual,
hurriedly.
The room swan before the Squire.
Detective-arrest2 What did it mean2
Whispering few words to a colleague,
and in an agitated voice begging the
audience to excuse him on the plea of
urgent business, Silas Harvey, like one
In dream, followed the man out of the
room.
He knew scarcely anything until he
found himself ON the train speeding to
New York, with the detective at his side
and the other man seated opposite.
'Look here" began the loquacious
officer, pleased that he caught his man so
easily, "wc've got two of the other of
you fellows safe enough, and they've
made clean breast of the whole affair /;
SO you had better speak right out to the
Judge. Tell him all I'm givin' you a
friendly tip now. This is the third
company gone to smash this week, and
it'll go pretty bad with you, l guess"
"What-what company is this9" gasped
the Squire, faint idea of the business
beginning to dawn upon him.
"What company laughed the detec-
tive. "No funny games now, old man. "
Silas Harvey WINGED perceptibly at the
last words and glanced at a paragraph
pointed out in a paper that was handed
to him.
1.-TWO directors of the last swindle, the
Silver Crescent Mining Company, were
caught to-day, and another one is re-
garded by the police as safe. The others
managed to get out of the way and have
left for parts unknown"
The Squire sat as one dazed. He con-
nectcd with swindle, his name heading
a list of frauds! The old man saw his
error too late. He inwardly cursed his
greed, his vanity. He felt that he was a
disgraced man. He saw the daily papers
t holding him up to scorn, his name in
faring headlines that told of his deceit,
and he wished that he could throw him
self from the car window. Above all, he
felt most deeply the probable loss of his
position in Northbrook. Had he lived
and labored all his life to die felon2
The detective looked curiously at his
prisoner, who seemed almost unconscious,
and the train ratified on, bearing the
Squire nearer and nearer to his fate.
How he reached the police station Silas
Harvey knew not. He remembered but
dimly entering carriage and giving his
name, age and occupation to the sergeant
at the desk, and then he found himself
within the four walls of a cell. The
whole seemed to him like a horrible
nightmare, and when he confronted the
Judge the next morning he had grown
grayer and more haggard, and walked
ike an old, old man.
"Bail is fixed at $4,000 in this case,'
remarked the Judge when he had heard
the charge. "Do you know any one in
the city,"
''My nephew" the Squire gasped, as
the first thought came to him that he
perhaps might receive some help from
that quarter.
"Well, you may write to him." was
the rely. "Call the next case"
The innocent prisoner scratched off a
few lines which he gave to an officer, and
then he YEARLY trudged back to the cell.
Hours seemed to drag slowly by until he
heard a pleasant greeting, and looking
through the iron bars he saw his nephew
standing there. Then the heavy door
swung open and his laughing relative
beckoned to him.
Come on, uncle, you're out on bail, y
cried the young man, and the Squire
came slowly forth. Although only few
hours in confinement, the broken-d down
old man imagined that half his life had
been spent within the narrow dungeon,
and with a deep sigh he took the arm
offered to him.
"Ha, ha, ha" commenced the young
fellow, when they had entered the carriage
that was waiting for them, cha, ha! ex-
cuse my laughing, but it is so rich, ha,
hal
The Squire blinked sorrowfully at his
nephew, which sent the young man off
again. "Who would have imagined such
thing, my old respected uncle a direc-
tor in fraudulent concern How did
you happen to join it7"
"You, Harry, you," murmured his
uncle, SO sadly that the graceless Harry
was threatened with an outbreak 'sYou
told me all about stocks and | thought
one thing was as good as another in that
line"
''Now, look here, Uncle 81, " at last re
marked the convulsed listener, ~ am
driving you to the railway station. &C
back to Northbrook as though nothing
, had happened and my lawyer will SCI
J matters straight. Why, you're all right
, l'll get those other fellows to make
confession that will clear you of al
blame"
, ''No, Harry, no; think of the papers
, the disgrace, " and the old man shook hi
, head at the idea of returning to his home